Method of disposing of hazardous wastes connected with criminal activity

ABSTRACT

A method of disposing of hazardous wastes connected with criminal activity comprising transporting a portable incinerator to the site of the criminal activity, sorting through waste materials at the site and selecting waste materials which are combustible and will not emit harmful emissions. The selected waste materials are placed within the incinerator and heated to a temperature of between 1600-1900° F. Non-combustible containers used to practice the illegal activity can be sterilized at the same time. The residue from the incinerator can then be collected and buried in a non-toxic landfill.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/100,325 filed Mar. 18, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The methamphetamine (meth) lab problem is prevalent throughout the United States and the rest of the World. Meth labs used to make the illegal drug are discovered in houses, apartments, motel rooms, sheds, or even motor vehicles. In recent times, Federal, State and Local authorities were involved in the seizure of more than 500 labs in a single state, and the number of such labs seized by law enforcement agencies increases each year.

After a lab is seized by law enforcement officials, professionals trained to handle hazardous materials are generally called in to remove lab wastes and any bulk materials. Some of the chemicals can be disposed of at the site by being mixed with water or other ingredients. However, there are certain chemicals and paraphernalia that must be carefully carried to a special truck or vehicle, and then transported to a far distance point where they are ultimately disposed of in a secluded landfill sometimes located hundreds and hundreds of miles from the site at which they were discovered. The long transportation of these hazardous wastes and materials invites a great problem in the event that any of them would be wrecked, thus creating a dangerous situation wherever such an accident might have taken place.

The cost of loading, transporting, and burying waste materials from typical meth labs can run upwardly of $10,000 per meth lab, and sometimes substantially more.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a method of disposing of hazardous wastes connected with criminal activity at the site of the activity.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of disposing of hazardous waste materials connected with criminal activity which is both safe and inexpensive.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method of disposing of hazardous wastes connected with criminal activity involves the steps of transporting a portable batch-type incinerator to a site where certain hazardous wastes are located connected to the criminal activity, such as a meth lab site. The next step is identifying the waste materials and sorting through them and selecting waste materials from a group which are combustible in the presence of heat without creating harmful emissions. The selected waste materials are then placed within the incinerator. The incinerator is then heated to a temperature of between 1600-1900° F. for a period of at least one hour and between one hour and two hours to create a particulate residue. The incinerator is then cooled to ambient temperatures, and the residue is collected from the incinerator and put into a portable container. The portable container is then moved from the site and deposited in a convenient local non-toxic landfill. The incinerator is thereupon removed from the site.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED INVENTION

The ingredients and equipment that may be involved in typical meth lab activity include the following:

-   -   Pool acid/Muratic acid     -   Lye     -   Acetone     -   Brake Fluid     -   Brake Cleaner     -   Iodine Crystals     -   Lithium Metal/Lithium Batteries     -   Lighter Fluid     -   Drain Cleaners (Drano or Liquid Fire)     -   Cold Medicine Containing Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)     -   Ethyl Ether (Starting Fluid)     -   Anhydrous Ammonia (stored in propane tanks or coolers)     -   Sodium Metal     -   Red Phosphorus     -   Ephedrine     -   Laboratory Glassware     -   Coffee Filters     -   Table Salt     -   Two Quart Plastic Type Containers for anhydrous ammonia     -   One gallon metal container or glass container of white gas.     -   Sludge comprised of a mixture of all the chemicals located in         various containers     -   Various types of glassware used to mix the chemicals     -   Plastic pop bottles, air tubing and the like

The first step in cleaning up a meth site is to take an inventory of the material at the site and identify the same. At the same time, a portable incinerator pulled behind a pickup truck or the like is brought directly to the site. An incinerator suitable for practicing the method is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,752, and the drawings and descriptive portion thereof are herein incorporated by reference. Any suitable number of wheels can be applied to the incinerator of U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,752 to enable it to be towed to the site. The incinerator has an after-burner through which emissions from the combusted material are channeled to permit particles in the emissions to be further combusted.

The professionals at the site should then sort through the waste materials and select waste materials from the total group of materials which are combustible in the presence of heat and which can be subjected to heat without creating harmful health emissions, defined herein as hazardous air pollutants as described by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as “those pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effect”. Examples of hazardous air pollutants include benzene, which is found in gasoline; perchlorethlyene, which is emitted from some dry cleaning facilities; and methylene chloride, which is used as a solvent and paint stripper by a number of industries. Examples of other listed hazardous air pollutants include dioxin, asbestos, toluene, and metals such as cadmium, mercury, chromium, and lead compounds. As defined by the EPA and as defined herein hazardous air pollutants mean the following chemicals: CAS Chemical Number Name 75070 Acetaldehyde 60355 Acetamide 75058 Acetonitrile 98862 Acetophenone 53963 2-Acetylaminofluorene 107028 Acrolein 79061 Acrylamide 79107 Acrylic acid 107131 Acrylonitrile 107051 Allyl chloride 92671 4-Aminobiphenyl 62533 Aniline 90040 o-Anisidine 1332214 Asbestos 71432 Benzene (including benzene from gasoline) 92875 Benzidine 98077 Benzotrichloride 100447 Benzyl chloride 92524 Biphenyl 117817 Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) 542881 Bis(chloromethyl) ether 75252 Bromoform 106990 1,3-Butadiene 156627 Calcium cyanamide 105602 Caprolactam(See Modification) 133062 Captan 63252 Carbaryl 75150 Carbon disulfide 56235 Carbon tetrachloride 463581 Carbonyl sulfide 120809 Catechol 133904 Chloramben 57749 Chlordane 7782505 Chlorine 79118 Chloroacetic acid 532274 2-Chloroacetophenone 108907 Chlorobenzene 510156 Chlorobenzilate 67663 Chloroform 107302 Chloromethyl methyl ether 126998 Chloroprene 1319773 Cresols/Cresylic acid (isomers and mixture) 95487 o-Cresol 108394 m-Cresol 106445 p-Cresol 98828 Cumene 94757 2,4-D, salts and esters 3547044 DDE 334883 Diazomethane 132649 Dibenzofurans 96128 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane 84742 Dibutylphthalate 106467 1,4-Dichlorobenzene(p) 91941 3,3-Dichlorobenzidene 111444 Dichloroethyl ether (Bis(2- chloroethyl)ether) 542756 1,3-Dichloropropene 62737 Dichlorvos 111422 Diethanolamine 121697 N,N-Diethyl aniline (N,N- Dimethylaniline) 64675 Diethyl sulfate 119904 3,3-Dimethoxybenzidine 60117 Dimethyl aminoazobenzene 119937 3,3′-Dimethyl benzidine 79447 Dimethyl carbamoyl chloride 68122 Dimethyl formamide 57147 1,1-Dimethyl hydrazine 131113 Dimethyl phthalate 77781 Dimethyl sulfate 534521 4,6-Dinitro-o-cresol, and salts 51285 2,4-Dinitrophenol 121142 2,4-Dinitrotoluene 123911 1,4-Dioxane (1,4-Diethyleneoxide) 122667 1,2-Diphenylhydrazine 106898 Epichlorohydrin (1-Chloro-2,3- epoxypropane) 106887 1,2-Epoxybutane 140885 Ethyl acrylate 100414 Ethyl benzene 51796 Ethyl carbamate (Urethane) 75003 Ethyl chloride (Chloroethane) 106934 Ethylene dibromide (Dibromoethane) 107062 Ethylene dichloride (1,2- Dichloroethane) 107211 Ethylene glycol 151564 Ethylene imine (Aziridine) 75218 Ethylene oxide 96457 Ethylene thiourea 75343 Ethylidene dichloride (1,1- Dichloroethane) 50000 Formaldehyde 76448 Heptachlor 118741 Hexachlorobenzene 87683 Hexachlorobutadiene 77474 Hexachlorocyclopentadiene 67721 Hexachloroethane 822060 Hexamethylene-1,6-diisocyanate 680319 Hexamethylphosphoramide 110543 Hexane 302012 Hydrazine 7647010 Hydrochloric acid 7664393 Hydrogen fluoride (Hydrofluoric acid) 7783064 Hydrogen sulfide(See Modification) 123319 Hydroquinone 78591 Isophorone 58899 Lindane (all isomers) 108316 Maleic anhydride 67561 Methanol 72435 Methoxychlor 74839 Methyl bromide (Bromomethane) 74873 Methyl chloride (Chloromethane) 71556 Methyl chloroform (1,1,1- Trichloroethane) 78933 Methyl ethyl ketone (2-Butanone) 60344 Methyl hydrazine 74884 Methyl iodide (Iodomethane) 108101 Methyl isobutyl ketone (Hexone) 624839 Methyl isocyanate 80626 Methyl methacrylate 1634044 Methyl tert butyl ether 101144 4,4-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) 75092 Methylene chloride (Dichloromethane) 101688 Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) 101779 4,4&&-Methylenedianiline 91203 Naphthalene 98953 Nitrobenzene 92933 4-Nitrobiphenyl 100027 4-Nitrophenol 79469 2-Nitropropane 684935 N-Nitroso-N-methylurea 62759 N-Nitrosodimethylamine 59892 N-Nitrosomorpholine 56382 Parathion 82688 Pentachloronitrobenzene (Quintobenzene) 87865 Pentachlorophenol 108952 Phenol 106503 p-Phenylenediamine 75445 Phosgene 7803512 Phosphine 7723140 Phosphorus 85449 Phthalic anhydride 1336363 Polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclors) 1120714 1,3-Propane sultone 57578 beta-Propiolactone 123386 Propionaldehyde 114261 Propoxur (Baygon) 78875 Propylene dichloride (1,2- Dichloropropane) 75569 Propylene oxide 75558 1,2-Propylenimine (2-Methyl aziridine) 91225 Quinoline 106514 Quinone 100425 Styrene 96093 Styrene oxide 1746016 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin 79345 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane 127184 Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) 7550450 Titanium tetrachloride 108883 Toluene 95807 2,4-Toluene diamine 584849 2,4-Toluene diisocyanate 95534 o-Toluidine 8001352 Toxaphene (chlorinated camphene) 120821 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 79005 1,1,2-Trichloroethane 79016 Trichloroethylene 95954 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol 88062 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol 121448 Triethylamine 1582098 Trifluralin 540841 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane 108054 Vinyl acetate 593602 Vinyl bromide 75014 Vinyl chloride 75354 Vinylidene chloride (1,1- Dichloroethylene) 1330207 Xylenes (isomers and mixture) 95476 o-Xylenes 108383 m-Xylenes 106423 p-Xylenes 0 Antimony Compounds 0 Arsenic Compounds (inorganic including arsine) 0 Beryllium Compounds 0 Cadmium Compounds 0 Chromium Compounds 0 Cobalt Compounds 0 Coke Oven Emissions 0 Cyanide Compounds (*1) 0 Glycol ethers (*2) 0 Lead Compounds 0 Manganese Compounds 0 Mercury Compounds 0 Fine mineral fibers (*3) 0 Nickel Compounds 0 Polycylic Organic Matter (*4) 0 Radionuclides (including radon) (*5) 0 Selenium Compounds NOTE: For all listings above which contain the word “compounds” and for glycol ethers, the following applies: Unless otherwise specified, these listings # are defined as including any unique chemical substance that contains the named chemical (i.e., antimony, arsenic, etc.) as part of that chemical's infrastructure. (*1) X′CN where X = H′ or any other group where a formal dissociation may occur. For example KCN or Ca (CN) 2. (*2) Includes mono- and di-ethers of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and triethylene glycol R-(OCH2CH2)n -OR′ where n = 1, 2, or 3; R = alkyl or # aryl groups; R′ = R, H, or groups which, when removed, yield glycol ethers with the structure: R-(OCH2CH)n-OH. Polymers are excluded from the glycol category. (See Modification). (*3) Includes mineral fiber emissions from facilities manufacturing or processing glass, rock, or slag fibers (or other mineral derived fibers) of average diameter 1 micrometer or less. (*4) Includes organic compounds with more than one benzene ring, and which have a boiling point greater than or equal to 100° C. (*5) A type of atom which spontaneously undergoes radioactive decay.

Typical chemicals or utensils that can be subjected to heat would include, without limitation, completed supplies of meth itself which appear as hardened solid particles which are typically smoked. Sludge from the meth manufacturing containers is also collected as combustibles along with such meth ingredients as Sudafed® and Ephedrine. Equipment which can either be incinerated or at least sterilized would include laboratory glass ware, coffee filters, tubing, and the like. Such components are placed within the incinerator which is then ignited and heated to a temperature of preferably 1600-1900° F. for a period of at least an hour and preferably two hours. The temperature in the after-burner should be 1600° F. or higher.

Due to the high temperatures, conventional incinerators having metal interiors or metal on metal drawers or other moving pieces may be subject to substantial warping and/or degradation during the incineration process. Accordingly, in one embodiment the present invention provides an incinerator having an interior of the incinerator lined with firebricks. More particularly, each sidewall, each end wall, bottom wall, and each lid includes a firebrick lining. Likewise, the present invention provides an incinerator having a combustion chamber lined with firebricks.

A proper fuel is provided for thorough combustion. A primary burner of the incinerator preferably burns No. 2 diesel fuel, though other fuel may be utilized. For example, the fuel may comprise a mixture such as (diesel fuel/either/Coleman® Fuel). As used herein the term Coleman® Fuel means a particular brand of the more generic product, white gas.

Other components could be the subject of incineration, but harmful emissions might result so they should not be incinerated. For example, iodine crystals, red phosphorous, Lithium, sodium crystals/metals, and lye can be stored in separately labeled Teflon® containers and kept dry for further disposal in accordance with Hazardous Laboratory Chemicals: Disposal Guide: Z28,182-4.

Other harmful components such as anhydrous ammonia can be rendered harmless by being mixed with water under controlled conditions and disposed of at the site. Liquid brake fluid and brake cleaner, for example, can be absorbed by common floor dry and disposed in a landfill. The same would be true for drain cleaner (such as Drano®) or acid mixes that have been neutralized by a neutralizer (e.g. baking soda) and which could be mixed with common floor dry to be disposed of in a local landfill.

The metal or other containers placed in the incinerator and subjected to the foregoing conditions of heat will be thoroughly sterilized after the one hour period. The chemicals which have not been vaporized typically will form a fine particulate material which can be taken from the incinerator after it is cooled to ambient temperatures, placed in a suitable container, and transported to a local non-toxic landfill. The incinerator is thereupon towed from the site and is prepared to repeat the activity at the next discovered meth site.

The method of this invention is also useful at other crime scenes where there is a residue of evidence after the law enforcement persons have removed whatever physical evidence is necessary. The incinerator can be brought to such a site and can be used for disposal purposes of residue material whether it be toxic waste or otherwise without having to introduce special toxic waste transporting equipment for transportation to far distant points.

Similarly, the method of this invention can be used at Courthouses and the like after meth or toxic ingredients have completed their function as evidence in a completed criminal case.

It is therefore seen that the method of this invention will permit the swift disposal of many toxic ingredients at a meth lab site or other criminal scene in a very short time, under very safe conditions, and at a very low expense as compared to loading, transporting and then disposing of the same ingredients at a far distant point.

Some of the selected wastes, such as meth, the meth sludge, are preferably combusted at a temperature of between 1100-1300° F. In that case, the incinerator is first heated to that temperature for about one hour, and then the heat is increased to 1600-1900° F. to deal with the remaining selected combustible ingredients.

It is therefore seen that this invention will achieve at least all of its stated objectives. 

1. A method of disposing of hazardous wastes connected with criminal activity, comprising, transporting a portable batch-type incinerator to a site where certain hazardous wastes are located connected to criminal activity, sorting through the waste materials and selecting waste materials from a group which are combustible in the presence of heat without creating hazardous air pollutants, placing the selected waste materials within the incinerator, heating the incinerator to a temperature of between 1600-1900° F. for a period of at least one hour to create a particulate residue, cooling the incinerator to ambient temperatures, removing the residue from the incinerator into a portable container, removing the portable container from the site and depositing the same in a non-toxic landfill, and removing the portable incinerator from the site.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the site is a criminal justice building, and the waste is comprised of materials gathered from a crime scene.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the site is a crime scene and the waste is comprised of wastes not required as evidence for a subsequent investigation or judicial proceeding.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the site is a meth lab site and the waste is comprised of ingredients and paraphernalia used in the creation of methamphetamine.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein non-combustible paraphernalia are gathered from the site and placed in the incinerator for sterilization purposes.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the incinerator is heated to a temperature range of 1100° F.-1300° F. for a period of time before being heated to 1600°-1900° F. to properly combust certain wastes which are more easily combusted and destroyed at a temperature lower than 1600° F.-1900° F.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the incinerator has an after-burner through which the emissions from combustion of the selected waste materials are channeled to further combust any particulate material in the emissions.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the temperature in the after-burner exceeds 1600° F.
 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing an incinerator having an interior of the incinerator lined with firebricks.
 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing fuel to the incinerator, wherein the fuel comprises a mixture of diesel fuel, either, and white gas.
 11. A method of disposing of hazardous wastes connected with criminal activity, comprising, transporting a portable batch-type incinerator to a site where certain hazardous wastes are located connected to criminal activity, sorting through the waste materials and selecting waste materials from a group which are combustible in the presence of heat and placing these selected waste materials within the incinerator, sorting through the waste materials and selecting waste materials from a group which are non-combustible in the presence of heat and placing these non-combustible materials within the incinerator for sterilization, sorting through the waste materials and selecting waste materials from a group which are treatable without combustion and excluding these treatable without combustion materials from the from the incinerator, heating the incinerator to create a particulate residue, cooling the incinerator to ambient temperatures, and removing the residue from the incinerator.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the selected waste materials are selected from the group consisting of completed supplies of meth, sludge from the meth manufacturing containers, and meth ingredients.
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the non-combustible materials are selected from the group consisting of laboratory glass ware, coffee filters, and tubing.
 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the treatable without combustion materials are selected from the group consisting of iodine crystals, red phosphorous, lithium, sodium crystals, sodium metals, lye, anhydrous ammonia, liquid brake fluid, brake cleaner, drain cleaner, and acid mixes.
 15. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of sorting through the waste materials includes sorting through the waste materials and selecting waste materials from a group which are combustible in the presence of heat without creating hazardous air pollutants.
 16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of providing an incinerator having an interior of the incinerator lined with firebricks.
 17. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of providing fuel to the incinerator, wherein the fuel comprises a mixture of diesel fuel, either, and white gas.
 18. The method of claim 11 wherein the incinerator is heated to a temperature range of 1100° F.-1300° F. for a period of time of about one hour before being heated to 1600°-1900° F. to properly combust certain wastes which are more easily combusted and destroyed at a temperature lower than 1600° F.-1900° F.
 19. A method of disposing of hazardous wastes connected with criminal activity, comprising: transporting a portable batch-type incinerator having an interior of the incinerator lined with firebricks to a site where certain hazardous wastes are located connected to criminal activity, and wherein the waste is comprised of ingredients and paraphernalia used in the creation of methamphetamine; providing fuel to the incinerator, wherein the fuel comprises a mixture of diesel fuel, either, and white gas; sorting through the waste materials and selecting waste materials from a group which are combustible in the presence of heat without creating hazardous air pollutants, placing these selected waste materials within the incinerator, and wherein the selected waste materials are selected from the group consisting of completed supplies of meth, sludge from the meth manufacturing containers, and meth ingredients; sorting through the waste materials and selecting waste materials from a group which are non-combustible in the presence of heat and placing these non-combustible materials within the incinerator for sterilization, and wherein the non-combustible materials are selected from the group consisting of laboratory glass ware, coffee filters, and tubing; sorting through the waste materials and selecting waste materials from a group which are treatable without combustion and excluding these treatable without combustion materials from the from the incinerator, and wherein the treatable without combustion materials are selected from the group consisting of iodine crystals, red phosphorous, lithium, sodium crystals, sodium metals, lye, anhydrous ammonia, liquid brake fluid, brake cleaner, drain cleaner, and acid mixes; placing the selected waste materials within the incinerator; heating the incinerator to a temperature range of 1100° F.-1300° F. for a period of time of about one hour before being heated to 1600°-1900° F. to properly combust certain wastes which are more easily combusted and destroyed at a temperature lower than 1600° F.-1900° F.; cooling the incinerator to ambient temperatures; removing the residue from the incinerator into a portable container; removing the portable container from the site and depositing the same in a non-toxic landfill; and removing the portable incinerator from the site. 